The Clean Room of the research and development centre at the Sài Gòn Hi-Tech Park in HCM City’s Thủ Đức City. — VNA/VNS Photo Tiến Lực

HCM CITY — HCM City’s Sài Gòn Hi-Tech Park (SHTP) seeks to attract investment in more high technology industries and other projects with high added-value, said head of the SHTP's management board Nguyễn Anh Thi.

Thi said at a recent press conference on the 20th anniversary of SHTP’s establishment that SHTP is changing its competitiveness by focusing to improve human resources and upgrade the capacity of science and technology firms, and develop supporting industries for key FDI projects.

The park has actively boosted research and development activities, while increasing support for training activities for high-quality human resources.

“Many leading corporations have been building their research and development (R&D) centres in SHTP for their further development in Việt Nam,” he said.

Several domestic businesses have signed contracts for technology transfer from hi-tech production projects in SHTP, he said.

By 2025, SHTP aims to become a smart technology park and the core of the interactive and innovative urban area in the city’s eastern part, contributing to the city’s socio-economic development.

In addition, it plans to attract investment of around US$3 billion in 50 hi-tech projects and establish at least one global hi-tech enterprise.

To achieve these goals, it is going to accelerate investment projects for its scientific space with a total surface area of 93ha.

It will increase the link between enterprises in SHTP and universities and research institutes in the region, especially Việt Nam National University-HCM City (VNU-HCM), in order to increase the proportion of hi-tech products by domestic companies.

During the past 20 years of development, SHTP has transferred its focus towards quality and performance, prioritising the commercialisation of research results while attracting more projects with high added value.

It has issued investment certificates for 163 projects with total capital of over $12 billion, including an FDI amount of more than $10 billion.

It has greatly contributed to the national economic transfer towards high technology and increased quality.

Its export turnover of hi-tech products accounts for 52 per cent of the city’s total export turnover.

Deputy head of SHTP’s management board Lê Bích Loan said the park’s achievements prove the importance of welcoming national and international projects from technology businesses.

These projects have helped to improve the investment environment of the city and the southern key economic zone.

In 2007, there were 30 projects with a total investment of more than $1 billion waiting for land allocation.

The municipal People’s Committee quickly worked with the Ministry of Planning and Investment for approval from the Prime Minister about comprehensive planning adjustments.

The result was an increase of over 900ha and a capital rise of more than VNĐ2 trillion ($80.4 million) to upgrade the necessary infrastructure for those projects.

That led to the establishment of the US chipmaker Intel Groups’ Intel Products Việt Nam (IPV) factory, which produced the first chipset batch for export in 2010.

Four years later, SHTP successfully attracted the $1.4-billion Samsung HCMC CE Complex (SEHC) project by Samsung Electronics of the Republic of Korea.

The total FDI investment into SHTP is about $10.1 trillion with 51 projects.

Export turnover was more than $10 billion and $20.9 billion in 2017 and 2021, respectively. It is expected to reach $23 billion this year. — VNS